In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

College of Central Florida
3001 SW College Road
Ocala, Florida, 34474
United States

Amira Sims

Spoken Word Poet

Amira Sims is a mother of four, a college professor, and a spoken word artist currently residing in Ocala Florida. As a professor, she has been on the frontline teaching, uplifting, and helping students find their niche. Amira earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degree from Valdosta State University (VSU). She is currently a doctoral student at Capella University. Her motto and self-proclaimed tag line “learning is my thing” neatly sums up many of her interests and her inspiration. In Atlanta, GA, Amira has performed at Kat’s café, Apache café, Java Monkey, Urban Grinde and several other venues. In northern CA she performed via the Mahogany Poetry Series. For Amira, poetry is an effort to bring forth the fruits of her thoughts. Initially she took the stage name Mi (pronounced -me) because she said she is sharing a piece of herself with the audience when she shares a poem. Nowadays she usually just goes by her first name when she has the pleasure to speak.

Barbara Fitos

Former County Commissioner, Book Lover

A former County Commissioner, Barbara is a retired HR banking executive and retired as founding Executive Director of the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Douglass College of Rutgers University, she holds a BA in American Studies and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola/New Orleans. . Her Master’s Thesis focused on the Integration of the Sacred and the Secular. She is active in numerous civic, cultural and community organizations including Ollin Women International, the Bridges Project, OWN, Ocala Main Street, Magnolia Art Xchange. A VFW Auxiliary life member in honor of her late Father, a WWII Army Veteran, she served as District President and State Legislative Chair. An avid reader and passionate student of cultural history. Barbara woks with Senior Learners and serves as Lector and Eucharistic Minister at her parish of Blessed Trinity. Barbara has one married son, Joseph and is “NanaB” to four beautiful grandchildren.

Carson Hamilton

Student

Carson Hamilton is 16 years old and is a Junior at St. John’s School in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Carson is very involved in his school and is a part of several prestigious clubs. He is also the captain of his football team where he has won several championships. During his summers he owns and operates a firework business 2017-present. With his knowledge he has gained from his business he now teaches kids at his school how to be entrepreneurs through Lemonade day.

Cindy Watson

Social Justice Attorney, Speaker, Coach

Cindy Watson is the founder of Women On Purpose and creator of the Art of Feminine Negotiation programs. She’s also founder and managing partner of Watson Labour Lawyers, as an attorney specializing in social justice law for the past 30 years.She is an international speaker, award-winning author and consultant, known for her passion, commitment and ability to inspire. Cindy has a proven track record empowering, advocating, and motivating people to become the best version of themselves. Cindy believes all of life is a negotiation and she’s dedicated to helping people leverage their innate powers of persuasion to get what they want and deserve from the boardroom to the bedroom.

Courtney Epps

Tax Strategist

Courtney is a tax strategist, international speaker, and author of the Best Selling books More Relaxing Less Taxing and What’s Your Plan B?. She owns a full-service accounting firm in South Carolina and serves clients in every state. She has owned her practice for nineteen years. What sets their firm apart is the tax strategy that it offers to clients as the focus is not just to prepare returns but to free up money legally, morally, and ethically. She has developed a broad expertise in industries including traditional, home-based, and network-marketing businesses. She works with clients from start up to $100 million companies. Courtney's Mission: To Teach more people on how to free up money through tax strategy, so that we can help more, have more, so that they can live more, and give more, so that we can feed more children, free more children and provide more safe drinking water. Courtney has figured out a way to combine your passion with your profits by creating a social business,

Dr. Jimmy Jones

Professor, Educator

Dr James (Jimmy) Jones is founding board chair of the Islamic Seminary Foundation's The Islamic Seminary of America (TISA) who now serves as TISA's Executive Vice President. Professor Dr. Jones holds a bachelor's degree in History from Hampton University, a masters in religion from Yale Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from Hartford Seminary. He is also Professor Emeritus of World Religions and African Studies at Manhattanville College (Purchase NY). A civil and human rights activist for over 4 decades, Jimmy Jones has trained, taught and consulted on issues related to the "power of prejudice" at institutions in the US, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. On April 14, 1997, his son, Malik Jones, was killed by a East Haven CT police officer. The voice of reason

Dr. Nassima Neggaz

Professor, Researcher, Writer

Dr. Nassima Neggaz is a social historian of the Islamic world and an Assistant Professor in Islamic Studies at New College of Florida in Sarasota. She earned her PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Georgetown University, Washington, DC. A Fulbright fellow from France, Nassima holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Sciences Po Paris, and a second Master’s degree in Arab Studies (Politics) from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. Nassima was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore. She was also an Early Career Fellow and Lecturer in Islamic History at the University of Oxford for 2.5 years she was the Jameel Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Cardiff University. During her PhD, Nassima taught courses in Arabic and Sociology at Georgetown University and its satellite campus in Doha, Qatar. Nassima has lived in 12 countries and visited over 50. She speaks 6 languages. Nassima’s work has appeared in many publications.

Eileen Hernandez

Student

Eileen Hernandez, 21, was born in a small rural town in Mexico. When she was a child, she immigrated to the United States and was raised in Central Florida. Currently, Eileen is a student at the College of Central Florida pursuing an Associate in Science degree in Paralegal studies. She aspires to become an attorney and serve underrepresented communities. Eileen is the President of the CF Forensics (Speech and Debate) Team and has won several championship titles in Persuasive Speaking and Poetry Interpretation. Through public speaking, Eileen’s mission is to highlight the struggles embedded within the immigrant experience and advocate for other marginalized communiti

Eliezer Nieves

Artist

EJ Nieves is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. Although his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree is in graphic design he fell in love with the physicality of applying mixed mediums to canvas and started pursuing his love for Fine Arts within his senior year of college, Nieves was a middle school arts teacher for OCPS for almost five years but left the teaching profession to pursue a career as a full time artist. Nieves is the Co-Founder of Art House Ocala ; an up and coming non-profit dedicated to creating opportunities for emerging artists within Marion County. With the help of the community Art House were able to set up initiatives including mentorship programs and showcases for artists that would warrant them opportunities to excel within the arts in their community and more. Nieves recently announced the opening of a brand new art gallery, “ NEHS Galleries “ , that promises to bring a fast paced and edgy vibe to gallery shows not normally seen in Ocala.

Mariola Czarniak

Coach, Speaker, Thought Leader

Mariola Czarniak, MBA, is a speaker, coach, trainer, and founder of the Maximum Results Academy. Her role with her clients is to help them to see their blind spots, get crystal clear about what they truly want in life and help integrate world class habits that will ensure they will move their dreams into reality. Her straightforward approach is what virtually guarantees her clients success on every level, she tells it like it is and that is what sets her apart from the rest! Through her work with some of the “legends of personal development”, Mariola has been afforded some incredible opportunities to learn from the very best in the areas of positive psychology, subconscious mind work, and high-performance tactics. Her training, coupled with her MBA, has given her an exceptional edge which ultimately helps her clients get the very best from the very best! Witnessing the success of the outstanding professionals she has worked with, reinforces her passion to help others.

Pat Parelli

World's Horse-ologist

Since his first seminar in 1982, Pat Parelli has revolutionized the horse world by introducing a philosophy, a concept, and a program called Natural Horsemanship. Pat Parelli has presented in front of over two million people in twenty-seven countries, has been in over 1,000 magazine articles, and has presented privately for the Queen of England, President Ronald Reagan, and many other dignitaries. Pat and his wife Linda, have had over two hundred thousand students in their long-distance, online learning program called the Savvy Club. With two hundred licensed instructors worldwide, Parelli Natural Horsemanship has set out to help make the world a better place for horses and the humans that love them. Parelli’s Natural Horsemanship Program focuses on preserving real horsemanship and helps you become the horseman your horse needs you to be. Pat helps you develop a strong foundation with your horse to help you better communicate with your horse, and have an effective relationship.

Shereese Floyd-Thompson

Chief Storyteller

Shereese Floyd-Thompson is the president of StoryMakers Consulting, a communications and messaging firm representing nonprofits, faith communities, socially-driven private companies and entrepreneurs. As a master brand story strategist who helps leaders and business owners learn how to turn their life experiences into profitable brand stories. She is the creator of the StoryMakers™ Formula: a three-part method of discovering, shaping, and sharing stories to develop a message and brand from the inside out. Shereese is dedicated to teaching people to embrace storytelling to unite people around a cause, influence behaviors and move people to action. She has been featured or quoted in Blavity, Entrepreneur, YFS Magazine, Forbes, The Huffington Post, Inside Business, CoVABIZ and Coastal Virginia Magazine. She was named Best Outstanding Emerging Professional and Best Social Media Personality by CoVA Biz Magazine. She is also a Women in Business honoree as named by Inside Business.

Sidhartha Peddinti

Non-Profit Attorney, Entrepreneur

Sidhartha "Sid" Peddinti, is a Nonprofit Lawyer and Serial Entrepreneur who has lived in 15 cities across the globe, attended universities in 3 countries, and has launched over 5,000 small businesses over the span on his career. Sid started his first business on his 18th birthday in Toronto, a day after walking out of a Rich Dad workshop. It was a specialty bakery that catered to the diverse ethnic population across North America - a business that grew into a healthy 7-figure business in just a few years from inception. However, when the economy collapsed in 2006, the banks financing his industrial-size baking equipment went under and took him down with him. His graduation gift was a court order that was a liquidation order. Sid switched gears, specializing in Bankruptcy & Insolvency Law, and had created another multiple-million dollar business helping small business owners facing liquidation and bankruptcy. navigate the rough waters successfully. He attended law school in London.

Staci Wallace

Author, Speaker, Mind-Shift Expert

Staci Wallace has been inspiring audiences with her creative messages and music since performing in Broadway musicals at the early age of sixteen. Staci was later nominated for New Female Vocalist of the year and went on to write and record five music CDs. She stepped out of her musical endeavors to use her creativity and business acumen in becoming a high-profile telecom leader for global companies. For over thirty years, Staci has been shifting mindsets as an engaging thought leader, businesswoman, entrepreneur, author of eight books, and keynote speaker. She currently serves as the EVP of Strategy for VOXOX, a leader in telecommunications and small business support. As a speaker, she has shared the stage with five U.S Presidents and moves audiences with her real, raw, and relevant stories that help stagnant leaders make "shift happen". She is the founder of EMwomen, a non-profit organization that rescues and restores women going through some of life’s greatest challenges.

Yemi Penn

Engineer, Entrepreneur, Transformation Coach

Born in the UK, childhood in Nigeria, stint in Okinawa Japan and now living in Sydney, Australia, Yemi can be described as a citizen of the world! She is an Engineer by profession, an Entrepreneur by Passion and a Transformation Mindset Coach by mission; Yemi is dedicated to guiding others in unlocking their untapped potential. An introvert at heart having only recently found her ‘voice’, she is making up for lost time! Having authored her first book and podcast titled, ‘Did You Get the Memo?’ Yemi has featured in numerous publications in the U.K, Africa and Australia. Yemi run’s 3 businesses whilst parenting her two children in Sydney, Australia. One being her Engineering Management consultancy, an F45 Fitness studio in Brixton, London and her Transformation company under her brand of Yemi Penn. With qualifications ranging from project management to neurolinguistic programming, and methods taught to her personally by Jack Canfield and Tony Robbins, Yemi helps transmute pain to power.